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Topic: Dora's Dream (Read 4814 times)

Dora was in the tack room, door firmly shut against the chilly wind. Spring wasn’t far away now and the evenings were getting lighter. She was deep in thought and didn’t notice Steve trying to attract her attention through the window. She continued to rub the same piece of leather over and over but jumped when the door crashed open and Steve marched in bringing a cold draft with him.

“Brr! Shut the door Steve” she said irritably now she had been dragged back to reality.

“Didn’t you hear me calling? The Colonel wants to see you right now.”

She sighed heavily and pulled on her coat, turning up the collar.

“You really are on a different planet today aren’t you girl. You obviously didn’t hear the horsebox pull up either.”

Suddenly Dora was wide awake. “Horsebox? Who is it? Has someone brought us a horse?

Steve smiled. “Thought the word horsebox would bring you down to earth. What were you thinking about anyway? It must be something serious for you to miss all the action.”

“Oh it’s nothing” she shrugged, but Steve saw a shadow pass over her face.

Out in the yard she was confronted with a horsebox that had seen better days and a horse so thin it could barely stand up. She felt sick.

“Ah there you are Dora” said the Colonel. “This is Mr Walton. He found this poor horse wandering on the road near his farm. Dora looked at Mr Walton and didn’t like what she saw. There was something odd about him, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on…….

Mr Walton looked Dora up and down. Dora shivered, he seemed to be undressing her with his eyes and she felt very uncomfortable. She was glad Steve and the Colonel were with her.

The grey horse stood very still, its legs bent and its head hanging down. Dora could see ribs through the mangy coat. It could hardly stand up. She went over to it and smoothed its nose. “Hello old thing.” she said. “You’ve had a rough time haven’t you? But don’t you worry because I’ll take good care of you. You’ll soon be feeling better.” The horse lifted her head slightly as Dora talked to her. “I’ll put her in Barney’s stall for now - he can share with Marty.” Dora said.

“I’ll come and help.” said Steve.

They led the horse to the stables and settled her in the warm stall. “I wonder if she’ll eat anything.” said Dora. Steve mixed a light feed for her and Dora was delighted when the horse put her nose in the bucket and munched on the food.

“Oh Steve, who could do such a thing?” she said sadly. Steve shook his head. “But at least she’s in the right place now.” said Steve, smiling at Dora. “Yes, she is.” said Dora, smiling back.

“We ought to give her a name.” said Steve.

Dora thought for a moment, her head on one side. “Dreamer. I think she should be called Dreamer.”

“That’s that then.” said Steve, frowning as he noticed the shadow passing over Dora’s face again.

“Are you OK Dora?” he asked.

“Yes, why?” she answered.

“Oh no reason.” he said. He felt a shiver go through his body. There was something odd about her, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on…

The next morning saw Dora hurrying to Dreamer’s stall. Steve was already there hunched over the lifeless body of Dreamer. He looked up at Dora’s stricken face. “I’m sorry girl…”

“No Steve…No! She was eating yesterday…I should have stayed with her last night, made sure she was all right. It’s my fault.”

“I doubt you could have done anything…she was too far gone.”

Steve put his arms around Dora and held her while she cried bitterly. “Where did Dreamer come from Steve? Who owned her? Someone must have loved her!”

“I’m not sure, but I don’t believe Mr Walton just found her in the road.” Steve gently untangled himself from Dora’s arms. “I’m going to ask the Colonel if he knows anything about him.”

Dora nodded and looked up into the branches of the lightning tree. A sudden thought came to her. “Ron?” She shouted. Ron appeared from the barn, looking bleary eyed. “Yeah?” He rubbed his face vigorously, trying to get his head together. What does she want now he thought? I was ‘aving a nice kip.

“You remember the man who brought dreamer here yesterday?”

“What, old Walton? Yeah, what about ‘im?”

“Dreamer is dead Ron, and I wanted to let him know. Do you know where he lives?”

Ron shuffled his feet and became cagey. “er… don’t fink you want to go there girl. He’s not a nice bloke, he wouldn’t fank you for it…”

“RON! I want to go there….will you take me?”

Ron scratched his head, but he could never resist those pleading brown eyes.

“Oh, O.K. You won’t let up till I do….’op on then, but I’m warnin’ yer you won’t like what ya see.” he said as he swung his leg over the saddle of his bike.

As they roared out of the stable yard Steve appeared from the farmhouse. The Colonel had warned him to stay away from Mr Walton…….

She heard it first, the baying, anxious voices of hounds, the yipping of hound puppies and the strident bark of the leader of the pack.

"The hunt kennels," she whispered.

"Told yer. Dunno why Mr Walton didn't feed ole Dreamer to the dogs 'ere," said Ron. "That's what they usually do with old horses. The ones what we don't get."

Dora slowly dismounted from the pillion seat on Ron's bike. There was an earthy smell: wet dogs, and an underlying meaty smell that she knew could be dead horse. She retched, and covered her mouth with her hand, trying to think of pleasant things, of Steve, of Copper, of rides in the sun.

Mr Walton sidled over lugubriously; he had the air of a lurcher, rather sly and looked not unlike one, tall, thin and rangy with untidy grey hair and a slightly grey complexion. "I wondered if you'd come here," he said.

Ron felt Dora tense beside him. "Steady, girl. Don't go causin' no trouble," he hissed out of the side of his mouth.

"How can you -?" Dora stammered, then wiped the tears away that were beginning to well from her eyes.

"It's the way of the country," Mr Walton told her, not unkindly. "Hounds have to eat. It's a noble end for old hunters. We kill them humanely. We don't let them dangle on for years, getting thinner and more decrepit and telling ourselves we're doing a favour keeping them alive." For a moment he sneered at her and all that Follyfoot meant to her. "That old mare I gave you - I would have given her to the hounds except I've had two horses given me lately and didn't have room for her. Best to give hounds the horses with more flesh on them."

Dora gasped, then turned and threw up her breakfast, shaking uncontrollably with rage and helplessness. Oh, if the hunt wasn't bad enough, chasing after a fox and letting hounds rip the poor creature to shreds! But to slaughter hunt horses simply because they were getting on, when they could go to another home instead and live for years. It wasn't right! It wasn't!

Logged

Cheers,Sabrina______________________________Dreams come true if you want them to...

Dora suddenly found her composure. She became calm and focused. And angy. She stood still her face quite devoid of emotion. No raging anger possessed her but only fury which was determined to quietly have its hour, one way or another. A fury which was fixated on ending Mr Walton's humiliating treatment of horses.

Dora woke the next morning feeling as if she hadn't had any sleep. She had a terrible nightmare and in it Walton was feeding Copper to his dogs. Next thing Dora had the shotgun aimed at him and pulled the trigger. Then she screamed and woke herself up.

She was very quiet at breakfast. Steve looked at her. "Ron said you went to Walton's. Oh Dora, why did you go?."

"I wish I hadn't. It was terrible Steve. I didn't even know places like that existed. That man shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a horse." Tears started rolling down her face. "He feeds them to his dogs Steve!" Dora could hardly speak the words. She felt sick again and ran back to her room, sobbing loudly.

"She's right you know." said Ron bitterly. "That bloke shouldn't be allowed near horses or any other animal for that matter."

Steve looked angry. "He needs to be stopped." he said quietly.

Ron nodded.

Dora slept all morning, only getting up in the afternoon to go for a ride on Copper. She went back up to her room when she returned from her ride and didn't even come down for supper. Steve took her up an omelette and a strong cup of tea on a tray. She was sitting on the bed in her room.

"I'm not hungry." she said as Steve walked in.

Steve sat down next to her. "Slugger says I have to sit here until you've eaten every bit." he said with a smile. "Come on, you have to eat something."

Dora looked at him as she reluctantly took the tray and he watched her cut into her omelette. When she had finished he said "I'm going to Walton's tonight Dora."

Dora stood motionless. Slugger looked at her and shivered as a shadow passed over her face.

Dora was woken by the sound of screeching. She came around and looked at the clock. It was 7.15. Suddenly there was more screeching and she saw blue flashing lights through her curtains. The door banged loudly and didn't stop until finally Slugger opened it. She went to the window. Outside were two police cars. She fled from the room and rushed downstairs in time to see Slugger leading some policemen out of the house and over towards the stables and Steve's loft room. She ran, barefooted, across the yard and stopped suddenly by the lightning tree. Two policemen appeared from the stables and between them Steve. They were holding his arms.

"What's going on? Why are you taking him?" she screamed at them.

As they came nearer she noticed the handcuffs on Steve's wrists. She put her hand up to her mouth. Steve looked at her for a second as they passed by, his face full of sorrow, then he looked away and bowed his head. They pushed him roughly into one of the police cars and sped off.

Dora ran to Slugger. He looked more worried than she had ever seen him before. "Why are they taking him Sluggs - I don't understand."

"Walton's dead." Slugger said, in a state of shock. "They think Steve's got summit to do with it!"

Dora sat shivering in front of the fire clutching a mug of tea. The Colonel was holed up in his study talking to his solicitor about Steve on the phone. Slugger absent-mindedly stirred a pot of stew. Ron stared into space clutching his guitar but his fingers were still. The clock above the mantlepiece ticked loudly in the silence.

Dora listlessly stirred the fire with a poker and a piece of coal suddenly rolled off onto the carpet, burning a hole and filling the room with acrid fumes.

Ron wrinkled his nose and came to life as he saw the smouldering carpet. “Oi! Watch what yer doing” he snapped, stamping frantically at the carpet.

Dora appeared not to notice what she had done, or even Ron’s presence.

“I think I know who did it” she mused.

“Did what?” asked Slugger opening a window to let out the fumes.

“I think I know who murdered Walton of course.” And she walked quietly from the room, put on her coat and left the house.

“’ere, where’s she orf to?” asked Slugger.

“Dunno, but I fink I’d better see what she’s up to. I reckon there’s trouble ahead”

And Ron left the house also, just in time to see Dora ride Copper out of the yard and tear away across the fields at break-neck speed…….

Steve sat on the hard bench in the dingy police cell and stared unseeing at the graffiti covered grey walls. He had spent 2 hours being grilled by 2 plain clothed policemen who turned out to be the typical bad cop, good cop. A DI named Hunt shouted and bawled at him and Steve thought that the hard, arrogant copper would have given him a beating if it hadn’t been for the more congenial DS Tyler who spoke in a more kindly way and tried often unsuccessfully to calm the bullying DI. Steve had been in this sort of situation before but never with the outcome looking quite so bad and the future so gloomy. Once again Steve’s past criminal record had gone against him, and already the conclusion of the police was that he must have done it, despite very little forensic evidence just the debatable witness statement that he been there at Walton’s place.

This Steve did confess to. He had been at the dead man’s farm. He had confronted him and had a heated argument in the middle of the farmyard where Walton had threatened Steve with a shot gun but Steve insisted that he hadn’t killed him and that when he left the man was still very much alive.

Steve buried his head in his hands and sigh loudly. If he needed Dora anytime, it was now.

Ron grabbed Alex’s tack. “I must be mad getting mixed up in this” he muttered as he threw the saddle onto Alex’s back, but somehow he knew Dora was in real danger. As he rode out of the yard, the Colonel came out of his study.

“Dora?” The Colonel shouted. “Where is that girl?”

“She’s gorn off in a 'urry Colonel, says she knows who done it.” Slugger replied.

“Knows who done it? What do you mean?”

“Says she knows who killed Walton. She went orf on Copper a minute ago” He looked out of the window as he heard hooves clattering in the yard. “An there goes Ron after 'er.”

“We must find Dora, I’ve just spoken to the police and they know it wasn’t Steve. New evidence has come to light and If Dora has gone where I think she has, she'll be getting herself in serious trouble. Come on man, there isn’t a moment to lose.”

Dora approached the farmyard nervously. She was beginning to have second thoughts about being here and was trying to work out what she would say. She swallowed hard and fought off her nerves. Steve was depending on her; he needed her to be strong. She couldn’t let him down when she was so sure he was innocent and she might have the key to proving it.

She dismounted and led Copper to the door of the farmhouse, gripping tightly to his reins.“Don’t worry Copper, I’m not leaving you tied up here. I’m staying with you” she murmured, more to comfort herself than him, as she knocked on the faded green door. She stood back and looked up at the windows. She wasn’t wrong. She was sure she had seen a face at one of these windows yesterday… someone had been watching her arguing with Mr. Walton and she was sure they had something to do with his death.

Dora was jolted from her thoughts as the old green door began to open.

Dora felt herself trembling as she waited but nobody appeared at the door. "Hello." she called, pushing the door open a little further. "Is anybody there?" She couldn't decide whether or not to go in but then she thought of Steve in his handcuffs and she knew she must.

She left Copper outside but didn't tie him, hoping that if he needed to, he would run.

She slowly entered the house. Even in the bright daylight the hallway was dark. She called again but there was no sound. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. Just as she was about to go up she heard a click and felt cold metal pushing against the back of her head. She knew what it was immediately and froze in fear.

Doras heart skipped a beat and she could feel the cold sweat on her forehead begin to trickle down the side of her face. She let out a high pitched scream and started to struggle.

Copper, spooked by her scream, flung his head up and snorted, wheeling round and galloping away across the field with stirrups and reins flapping. He didn't even stop as Ron came charging towards him on Alex. Ron watched the chestnut disappearing out of view."Now I know we've got trouble, Alex me old mate" he said as he patted his mount's sweaty neck. He slid slowly down and tied Alex to the nearest fence. "I might need you for a quick get-a-way" he whispered into the horses ear.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang followed by a scream and Ron stood open-mouthed as Dora raced out from the house, her face drained of colour.

"Get out of here....quickly!" she shreiked, tugging a startled Alex's reins free and flinging herself up on his back. As Ron vaulted up behind her, he looked back and to his horror saw a blood stained man coming out of the house.

Dora urged Alex into action and they gathered speed as they left the farmyard and headed up the hill, Ron clinging on behind. She pulled Alex to a halt when she thought they were far enough clear and wheeled him round so she could look back at the farmhouse. There was no longer any sign of the man.

“What’ you stoppin’ for?” Ron yelled over Dora’s shoulder.“Something awful’s happened Ron!! I don’t think he meant to shoot her.” Dora managed to gasp out the words.“What? Who didn’t he mean to shoot? You’ve lost me.” Ron tried to make sense of what Dora was telling him. “Mrs. Walton of course. He was trying to take the gun from her” Ron could feel Dora shaking, even through her jacket, and see how terrified she still was. All he wanted to do was to put as much distance as possible between them and the farmyard but Dora seemed to be unsure. "Oh Ron! What if she’s badly hurt? Shouldn’t we get help?” “We should go home that’s what we should do! Come on girl. We can phone the coppers from there.”“No Ron. This is my fault. If I hadn’t come here……” Dora’s voice tailed off as she started to shake more violently.

Just then, in the distance over Dora’s shoulder, Ron saw a Land Rover appear over the crest of the hill, heading towards the farmhouse…

Steve arrived back at Follyfoot to an enormous hug from Slugger. "Are you OK son?" he asked him, smiling from ear to ear. "I'm fine now Sluggs, but I wouldn't want to repeat that again in a hurry." he said, trying to make light of the serious situation he had found himself in. "Where is everybody anyway?" he continued. Slugger's face fell. "What is it Sluggs, what's happened?" Slugger sat Steve down and told him what had happened since Steve had been arrested. Steve went to leave and Slugger pulled him back. "Look, you've already been arrested once, you can't get involved again." "But I can't do nothing." said Steve, worried for his friends."Yes you can." said Slugger "Leave it to the Colonel, he's there now."Steve went to the stables. He knew Slugger was right but he had to go and help. He saddled Marty and galloped from the farm. Slugger shook his head. That lad's gonna end up in real trouble one of these days, he thought sadly.

The Colonel pulled up outside the entrance to the yard. He was a cautious man and well aware that there could be trouble waiting for him. Despite his sense of urgency he had taken the time to phone the Police before leaving Follyfoot and knew that they were on their way. He had agreed to wait for them at the entrance but as soon as he opened the door of the Land Rover and the sound of the hounds reached him, he could tell that something was very wrong indeed. Reaching into the back seat he pulled out his shotgun. There was no sign of Dora, Ron or of either of the horses they had ridden here on but the Colonel wasn’t taking that to mean that they weren’t here. Slowly he began to cross the yard towards the open front door of the house.

Ron had tried to insist that Dora wait at the top of the hill for him and let him ride Alex down to where the Colonel had parked, but she was having none of it. Arguing with her had only delayed them and, although she was still showing signs of reacting to her earlier confrontation inside the house, they eventually dismounted and tied Alex to a bush near the Land Rover. Dora ran to the door, afraid of what she might find but desperate to see what had happened to her Uncle. Fighting off memories of the last time she had walked through this entrance she pushed at the wooden door.

Relief flooded through her. Sitting on the bottom of the stairs was her Uncle. He was comforting a sobbing woman, her arm swathed in a blood-soaked towel.

Follyfoot was a popular 1970s children’s TV programme co-produced by Yorkshire Television and TV Munich. Based on Cobblers Dream, written by Monica Dickens, the series had great drama, good storylines and was set in a beautiful location in Yorkshire. Starring Gillian Blake, Steve Hodson, Christian Rodska, Desmond Llewelyn and Arthur English, they played the well-loved characters of Dora, Steve, Ron, the Colonel and Slugger. And who can forget that catchy theme tune, The Lightning Tree, sung by The Settlers.